Buttonhole-sewing machine.



I 1. Klewlcz. BUTTONHULE SEWING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION HLED IAN, 17. 19H.' l%4 3M. Patented Nov. 2?, 19m.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. KIEWSCZ.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

L KIEWICZ.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLrcATxoN FILED JAN.17, 1917.

Fatented Nov. 27, 191?.

SHEETS-SHEET 3- .1. KIEWICZ.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.17.19I7.

4 SHEETS-SHEET L Anya.

UNITED @TATE .PATENT FFIQE,

JOHN KIEWICZ, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

Application filed January 17, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN KIEwroZ a citizen of the United States, residing at `Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in `Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the dra-wing representing like parts.

This invention relates to buttonhole sewing machines of that familiar type in which the work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism are given their relative movements by means of a feed cam, and in which when the machine is started in operation the feed cam has first a comparatively rapid movement thereby producing a comparatively quick relative movement between the work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism to carry the parts from buttonhole-cutting to stitching position, and after the parts have reached stitching position, the stitching mechanism is set in operation and the feed cam is given a comparatively slow step-by-step movement to produce a relative feeding motion between the work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism, this feeding movement continuing as the stitching is performed .along first one side and then the other of the buttonhole, and after the stitching operation is completed and the stitch-forming mechanism is brought to rest, the feed cam is given a comparatively rapid movement thereby to produce a quick relative movement between the work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism to move the parts from stitching to buttonhole-cutting position.

In sewing machines of this type it is common t-o provide two separate driving mechanisms for the feed cam, one of which gives the cam a relatively-quick movement thereby to produce the rapid relative movement between the work-holding means and stitch-forming mechanism to carry these parts from buttonhole-cutting to stitching position, or from stitching to buttonholecutting-position, and the other of which driving mechanisms operates to give the feed cam a relative slow step-by-step movement during the stitching operation, thus producing the necessary feeding movement of the work. In sewing machines of this type,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 191i t., Serial No. 142,816.

means are provided for disconnecting the quick-feed driving mechanism when the parts have been brought from buttonholecutting to buttonhole -stitching position, and at the same time to connect the slow feed driving mechanism. In the operation of a sewing machine of this type, it is imp-ortant that there should be no overlapping of operation between the quick-feed driving mechanism and stitch-forming mechanism, for if it should happen that when the parts are brought from buttonhole-outting to stitching position, the stitch-forming mechanism should be set in operation before the quick-feed driving mechanism has been completely thrown out of operation, so that there is a slight overlapping of operations at this point, the needle ofthe stitching mechanism will be caused to penetrate the work before the comparatively rapid movement between the stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means has'ceased, and the result is apt to be a broken needle or broken thread.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a novel mechanism for controlling the operation of the quick-feed driving mechanism and the stitch-forming mechanism so that there shall be no overlapping of operations and which shall insure that the quick-feed movement will be arrested before the stitch-forming mechanism is set in operation so that the first penetrating thrust of the needle on any but` tonhole will inevitably he the relatively-slow movement.

Other objects of my invention are to improve buttonhole sewing machines in various other particulars, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure l of the drawings is a side view of a sewing machine embodying my invention with the base frame broken away to better show the construction; A

Fig. 2 is an underside view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the stitching clutch and its associated parts;w

`mechanisms are constructed Fig. 4 is a section on the line 1r-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section of the line 5-5, Fig. 2; l Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the clutches employed;

Fig. 7 is a view showing the controlling cam;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8, Fig. 2.

The principal parts of the sewing machine herein illustrated are the same as those usually found in sewing machines of this type and particularly the same as those illustrated in my co-pending application Se. No. 100,124, filed May 26, 1916. Inasmuch as the present invention relates particularly to the means for controlling the operation of the quick-feed driving mecha.- nism and the stitch forming mechanism, it will not be necessary to describe in detail all of the elements of thev sewing machine. l will, however, refer briefly to the main elements of the sewing` machine.

1 indicates a frame of the machine which carries upper-thread-handling mechanism in the form of a needle 2 and its reciprocating needle bar 3 and under-threacl-handling mechanism indicated generally at 4, these upper and under-thread-handling mechanisms being such as illustrated in United States Patents No. 655,637, dated August 7 1900, and No. 1,030,589, dated June 25, 1912. Both the upper and under-thread-handling for rotary movement during the stitching around a buttonhole, this rotary movement being secured by pinions 5 and 6 carried by the upper and under-thread-handling mechanisms, respectively, which mesh with segmental racks 7 and 8 carried by an oscillatory shaft 9, all as shown in the above-mentioned patents.

The work-holding means by which the work is held during the stitching operation comprises a clamp plate 10 on which the work is supported and work clamps 11 that are adapted to be moved toward and from the clamp plate 10 to clamp the work in.

position or to release it. The work-holding means vand stitch-forming mechanism are arranged for movement relative to each other, and in the construction herein illustrated, this is provided for by giving the clamp plate 10 and Work clamps 11 a movement relative to the frame 1. This movement of the work clamp is secured from a slide 12 mounted in the bed of the frame 1 for reciprocating movement, said slide receiving such reciprocatory movement from a feed cam 13, all as usual in sewing machines of this type.

14C indicates a buttonhole cutter Vwhich is rendered operative at the proper point in tlh cycle of operations to out the button- In sewing machines of this type, the machine is brought to yrest at the end of each cycle of operations with the parts in buttonhole-cutting position, and when the machine is started the work is irst clamped in the work-holding means and the buttonhole cutter 141- is then operated to cut the buttonhole, after which the feed cam 13 is given a. relatively-quick movement thereby quickly moving the work-holding means from buttonhole-cutting to stitching position, at which time the stitch-forming mechanism is set in operation and the feed cam is operated with a relatively slow step-by-step movement to provide the necessary feeding movement to the work. When the buttonhole has been completely stitched, the stitch-forming mechanism is brought to rest and the quickfced mechanism is again thrown into operation to quickly return the work-holding means to buttonhole-cutting position. The feed cam 13 is operated from a worm 140 carried by a shaft 15.

The quick-feed driving mechanism above referred to comprises a driving pulley 16 loosely mounted on the shaft and a clutch 1T by which said pulley can be clutched to the shaft. `While any suitable clutch may be employed that which is herein shown is of the internal expanding type and it is actuated by a cone-shaped clutch actuator 18 which is slidably mounted on the shaft and which engages a clutch-actuating lever 19 which engages the cone-shaped portion of the clutch actuator 18 and by which the clutch is expanded into engagement with the driving pulley when the clutch actuator is moved downwardly in Fig. 2. The movement of the clutch actuator 18 into the position shown in Fig. 2 allows the clutch to contract and thus to become disengaged from the driving pulley 16. The clutch actuator 18 isprovided with a groove 27 in which is received a shoe 28 carried by the usual controlling lever 29 that is pivoted to the frame at 30.

The stitch-forming mechanism is driven from a driving shaft 20, as usual in sewing machines of this type, and said shaft is operated from a driving pulley 21 which is loosely mounted on the shaft and which is adapted to be clutched thereto by means of a friction clutch 39 of any suitable type, and which will be hereinafter referred to as the stitching clutch, that is controlled by the clutch actuator 22 which is slidably mounted on t-he shaft. This clutch actuator is given its movement longitudinally of the shaft to clutch the pulley 21 to or unclutch it from the shaft by means of a clutch-actuating member in the form of a n arm 23 having a roll 24 that operates in a groove 25 in the clutch actuator 22, which arm is fast on a rock-shaft 26 Journaled in the frame. The rock-shaft 26 has depending therefrom an arm 32 carrying an adjustable stop screw 33, and this stop screw is adapted to engage the end of a link 34 which is pivotally connected at one end to the controlling lever 29 and at its other end is pivotally connected to a positioning arm 35 that is pivoted to the frame at 36. The arm 35 is for the purpose of holding the link 34 in proper position. rPhe arm 32 is yieldingly held in engagement with the link 34 by means of a spring 37 which is connected at one end to the arm 32 and at the other end to the frame, and the controlling lever 29 is also acted upon by a spring 38 which tends to move it downwardly in Fig. 2.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that when the clutch actuator 18 is moved upwardly, Fig. 2, to disengage the quickfeed clutch 17, such movement will operate through the link 34, arm 32, rock-shaft 26 and arm 23 to throw the stitching clutch 39 into operation. Similarly, a reverse movement of these parts will disengage thev stitching clutch 39 and throw the quick-feed clutch 17 into operation.

In machines of this type means are provided for operating the feed cam 13 with a relatively-slow movement, while the stitching` clutch 39 is in operation, so that the work will have the proper feeding movement during the stitching operation, and this slow movement of the feed cam is usually derived from the driving shaft 20 for the stitch-operating mechanism. While any means might be employed for thus giving the feed cam its relatively-slow feeding movement, I have herein shown a mechanism similar to that illustrated in my copending application Se. No. 100,124. The driving shaft 20 is provided with a worm or spiral gear 40 meshing with a gear 41 fast on a shaft 42, and this shaft carries at its lower end a bevel gear 43 which meshes with and drives a bevel gear 44 that is loose on the shaft 15. This gear 44 carries a pawl 45 which cooperates with a ratchet wheel 46 fast on the shaft 15. When, therefore, the quick-feed clutch 17 is thrown out of operation and the stitching clutch 39 is thrown into operation, the shaft 15 will be driven through the mechanism above described, which is so constructed as to give the feed cam the desired relatively-slow feeding movement. In the construction herein illustrated, the worm 140 is mounted on the shaft 15 for longitudinal movement, but is held from rotation thereon, and when the feed cam is being driven from the driving shaft 20 for the stitch-forming mechanism, the worm 140 is vibrated back and forth axially of the shaft 15 thereby to give an intermittent feeding movement to the feed cam. For this purpose, I have provided an elbow lever 47 pivoted at 48, and one arm of which engages the gear 140, the other arm of which is connected by a link 49 with an eccentric 50 on the shaft 20l The worm 140 will thus be vibrated in timed relation with the operation of the stitch-forming mechanism. This device for giving the feed cam its relatively-slow feeding movement is fully illustrated and described in my above-mentioned co-pending application Se. No. 100,124. v

In the operation of a sewing machine of this type, it is desirable that there should be no overlapping of operation between the action of the quick-feed clutch 17 and of the stitching clutch 39. It will be observed that these clutches are so connected together that when the quick-feed clutch 17 is thrown out of operation or disengaged, the stitching clutch 39 is thrown into operation or becomes engaged. As soon as the stitching clutch 39 becomes operative, the stitching mechanism will begin to operate and the needle 2 will make its first penetrating thrust. At this time, the feed cam should be having' its relatively-slow feeding movement. If, however, the quick-feed clutch 17 does not become fully disengaged before the stitching clutch 39 becomes operative, then the feed cam will be operating at its relatively high rate of speed, and the work- `holding means will consequently be moving with a rapid movement at the time that the needle makes its first penetrating thrust, and if this occurs, the needle is apt to become broken.

@ne of the objects of my invention is to provide means which will obviate any possibility of any overlapping in the operation between the disengagement of the quick-feed clutch 17 and the engagement of the stitching clutch 39.

The spring 38 tends normally to move the clutch actuator 13 downn-*ardly in Fig. 2,

and thus hold the quick-feed clutch 17 in engagement, and at the same time, the spring 37 holds the stitching clutch out of enga gement. I have provided herein springactuated means which become operative at the proper point in the cycle of operations to give the link 34 a quick instantaneous movement upwardly in Fig. 2, thus to disengage the quick-feed clutch 17 and throw the stitching clutch 39 into operation, and this movement occurs with such rapidity that there can be no overlapping of operations between these clutches. The link 34 has a pin or projection 50 extending therefrom which is adapted to be engaged by the arm 51 of an elbow-lever pivoted to the frame at The other arm of this elbow-lever is acted upon by a strong pulling spring 54 which is also connected to the frame and which tends to swing the lever into the full line position, Fig. 2, which is the position of the parts at the beginning of the stitching operation just after the quick-feed clutch 17 has been disengaged and the stitching clutch has been engaged. This elbow-lever is provided with an arm or finger which coperates with a cam 56 that is rigid with the feed cam 13, said cam 56 being shown as mounted adjustably on a hub 57 that depends from the feed cam 13. This cam 56 is provided with the concentric surface 58 and with the low portion or recess 59. So long as the cam is positioned so that the finger 55 engages the high concentric portion 58 of the cam, the elbow-lever will be maintained in the position shown in Fig. 7, and when said lever is in this position, the arm 51 thereof will permit a sufficient movement of the link 34 downwardly in Fig. 2 so as to cause the quick-feed clutch 17 to become engaged. hen the machine is set in operation, the elbow-lever is held in the position shown in Fig. 7 by the cam 56, and the quick-feed clutch 17 will thus be operative to give the feed cam its quick movement. After the buttonhole has been cut and the work has been carried from buttonhole-cutting to stitching position, then the cam 56 has been turned sufficiently to allow the finger 55 to drop into the recess 59, and when this position is reached, the spring 54 which is a relatively strong spring will give the elbowlever a quick movement into the position shown in Fig. 2 which will operate to disengage the quick-feed clutch 17 and to simultaneously throw the stitching clutch 39 into operation. Since this movement is almost instantaneous, there can be no objectionable overlapping of operations between the two clutches, and the feed cam will be entirely relieved from the operation of the quick-feed clutch before the needle makes its first penetrating thrust. As the feed cam continues its rotation during the stitching operation, the cam 56 operates on the finger 55 to move the elbow-lever into the position shown in Fig. 7, so that at the end of the stitching operation, the link 34 will be free to be moved toward the bottom of Fig. 2, thereby to disengage the stitching clutch 39 and to cause the quick-feed clutch to be engaged. The spring 54 which actuates the lever 53 is in the nature of a device tending normally both to disconnect the quick feed driving mechanism from the cam and to connect the slow feed driving mechanism thereto, and this normal tendency of the spring is restrained or overcome until the feed cam is in a predetermined position, at which time the spring is allowed to act to perform its function. The spring-actuated lever 53 might also be considered as a motor device or as a power device. e

I have provided herein means similar to that illustrated in my co-pending application, Se. No. 100,124, for holding the stitching clutch 39 in engagement and the quickfeed clutch out of engagement during the stitching operation. The link 34 is. provided with a nose 60 which is adapted to be engaged automatically by a catch 61 when the link 34 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 2, such catch 61 operating to hold the stitching clutch in operation and the quick-feed clutch disengaged. The catch 61 is shown as pivoted to the frame at 62. This catch is released at the end of the stitching operation thereby permitting the sp-ring 38 to throw the quick-feed clutch 17 into operation again and disengage the stitching clutch 39. This release of the catch is accomplished by means associated with the stop mechanism by which the driving shaft 2O is brought to rest. This stop mechanism is similar to that shown in my co-pending application, Se. No. 113,445, led August 7, 1916. The shaft 2O has fast thereon a brake drum 63 which is embraced by a brake member 64 fastened at one end to the rock shaft 65 and having connected to the other end thereof a link 66 which in turn is pivoted to a resiliently-sustained arm 67. 68 is a brake arm fast to the sha-ft 65 and having pivoted to the end thereof a strut member 69, the lower end of which rests on the end of the risilient arm 67. This strut member 69 has connected thereto a connection 70 provided at one end with a hook 71 and at the other end pivotally connected to a lever 72 that in turn is pivoted at 73 to the frame, said lever being acted upon by a spring 74 that normally tends to move the connection to the right, Figs. 1 and 3. The hook 71 normally engages a keeper in the form of an arm 75 pivoted to the frame at 76, this arm having an extension 77 depending below `its pivot point, which extension is acted upon by a spring 78 that normally holds the arm in position to be engaged by the hook 71. The extension 77 of the arm 75 carries an adjustable stop-screw 79 which is adapted to be engaged by the lever 86 by which the sector 8 is given its turning movement. This arm 80 derives its movement from the feed cam 13, as usual in sewing machines of this type, and the parts are so arranged that said arm will engage the stopscrew 79 at the time when the stitching on the buttonhole has been completed.

The shaft 65 also has fast thereto an arm 81 carrying at its end a pin or projection 82 that yengages a track 83 formed on a head or thumb-piece 84 fast to the shaft 20. The rock shaft also has rigid thereon a rearwardly-extending arm 85 to which is connected a thrust member 86 that engages one en d of the catch 61. So long as the hook 71 of the connection 7 0 engages the keeper 75, the brake arm 68 will be. held out of engagement with the brake drum and the shaft 65 will be held in such position that the pin 82 will be out of engagement with the track 83 and the strut member 86 will permit the catch 61 to *have its operative position shown in Fig. 2. When in the cycle of operations the stitching on a buttonhole has been completed, the arm 80 will be brought into engagement with the stopscrew 79 and the keeper 75will be turned about its pivot, thereby to disengage it from the hook 71. The spring 74 will tend to move the connection 70 `backwardly and this will operate through the strut 69 to raise the brake arm 68 and therebyturn the shaft 65. This turning movement, however, is arrested by the projection 82 coming against the track 83, but as soon as the rotation of the shaft has brought the low portion 87 of the track into alinement with the projection 82, then the spring 74 will act to draw the connection 7 0 farther to the rear, thus applying the brake, and at the same time causing the shaft 65 to be rocked suliiciently so that the catch 61 will be disengaged from the nose through the arm 85 and Vthrust pin 86, thus allowing the spring 38 to throw the quick-feed clutch 17 into engagement and disengage the stitching clutch 39. The stitching clutch can thus be disengaged only when the shaft 20 is in a predetermined position and the stop mechanism so arranged as to bring the shaft to rest instantly that the clutch 39 is dis-` engaged and always with the parts in a predetermined position. The lever 72 is provided with a pin or projection 88 situated to be engaged by the end of the slide 12, part of which is shown in dotted lines Fig. 3. This slide thus operates at Vthe proper time in the cycle of operations to restore the connection 70 into a position where the hook 71 may engage the keeper 75, thus placing the stop mechanism in position to be again operative at the end of the stitching operation.

1 have herein illustrated a brake devicev the shaft and is acted upon by a brake shoe 90 pivotally mounted on a lever 91 that in turn is pivoted at 92 to the frame. The end 93 of this lever is in position to be engaged by a cam projection 94 formed on thefeed cam 13, and said projection is so situated that it will engage the' lever` 91,

i thereby applying the brake 90 just `at the time that the elbow-lever 51, 53 is actuated to disengage the quick-feed clutch 17 and throw the stitching clutch 39 into engagement. The brake will thus assist inV arresting the momentum of the parts due to the" which may be adjusted to apply continuously to the brake drum 89 a slight braking pressure.

` 1t will be remembered that at the end of the stitching operation the stitching clutch 39 is disengaged and the quick-feed clutch 17 is rendered operative thereby to give the feed cam a quick movement to carry the parts from stitching to buttonhole-cutting position. At the end of the cycle of operations it is necessary to disengage the quickfeed clutch 17 thus to bring the parts to rest. This is herein accomplished by a wedge member 96 which is adapted to be inserted between a projection 97 carried by the controlling lever 29 and a pin or projection 98 thatis carried by the starting lever (not shown), all as shown in my Patent No. 1,188,943. This wedge member is pivotally connected to a lever 99 which in turn is pivoted at 100 to the frame, and the end 101 of said lever is situated to be engaged by the end of the slide 12. 102 is a spring acting on the wedge member 96 and tending to hold it against the projection 97. At the end of the. cycle of operations the slide 12 engages the end 101 of the lever 99, thus advancing the wedge member 96 between the projections 97 and 98, and the action of the wedge against the projection 97 will move the lever 29 upwardly in Fig. 2 a suiiicient distance to disengage the quick-feed clutch 17, and said clutch will remain thus disengaged until the `machine is started again. When the machine is again setin operation, the usual starting lever isactuated, thus removing the pin 98 from engagement `with the wedge member,

.that engages vthe portion 106 of the controlling lever 29. The brake drum is provided with a. recess 107 situated in the plane of the arm 103. When the latch 61 is disengaged from the nose 60 of the link 34, the spring 38 will tend to move the lever 29 into position to cause the clutch 17 to be engaged, but this movement will be prevented by the lever 103 until in the rotation ofthe brake drum the recess 107 comes opposite the upper end of the lever 103. This lever 103 thus coperates with the stop mechanism above described to insure that the operations of stopping the stitch-forming mechanism and shifting from the relaoperative means inoperative until the feed cam is in a predetermined position, and means to retard momentarily the movement of the feed cam when the quick-feed clutch is disconnected.

9. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means capable of relative movement, of a feed cam for moving said parts relatively, a quick-feed driving device for operatingl the cam, a slow-feed driving device also adapted to operate the cam, a lever operatively connected to said driving devices, a spring to actuate said lever thereby to disconnect the quick-feed device from the cam and to connect the slow-feed driving device thereto, and means to hold said lever inoperative until the feed cam is in a predetermined position.

l0. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means capable of relative movement, of a feed cam for moving said parts relatively, a quick-feed driving device for operating the cam, a slow-feed driving device also adapted to operate the cam, a lever operatively connected to said driving devices, a spring to actuate said lever there by to disconnect the quick-feed device from the cam and to connect the slow-feed drive ing device thereto, and a cam member rigid with the feed cam and acting on said lever to hold it inoperative until the feed cam is in a predetermined position.

ll. ln a butt-onhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of work-holding means, a feed cam for moving said parts relative to each other, a quick-feed driving device for operating the cam, a slow-feed driving device also adapted to operate said cam, connections between said driving devices whereby when one is connected to the cam, the other is disconnected therefrom, a lever operatively connected to said connections, a spring tending normally to actuate the lever to render the quick-feed driving device inoperative and the slow-feed driving device operative, and a cam member rigid with the feed cam and operating to hold said lever inoperative until the feed cam is in a predetermined position.

l2. ln a buttonhole sewing machine, the combinationv with stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means movable relative to each other, of a feed cam for giving said parts such relative movement, a quick-feed driving mechanism for giving the feed cam a relativelyquiclr movement, a slow-feed driving mechanism for giving the cam a feeding movement, means to disconnect the quick-feed driving mechanism from the cam and to connect the other driving mechanism thereto, said means being operative automatically independently of said cam, and means to hold said first-named means inoperative until the feed cam is in a predetermined position.

13. ln a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means movable relative to each other, of a feed cam for giving said parts suoli relative movement, a qniclcfeed driving mechanism for giving the feed cam a relatively-quick movement, a slow-feed driving mechanism for giving the cam a feeding movement, a. device in the nature of a motor to disconnect the quick-feed driving mechanism from the cam and to connect the other driving mechanism thereto, and means to hold said motor device inoperative until the feed cam is in a prede termined position.

la. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and work-holding means movable relative to each other, of a feed cam for giving said parts such relative movement, a quick-feed driving mechanism for giving the feed cam a relatively-quick movement, a slow-feed driving mechanism for giving the cam a feeding movement, a self-contained power device to disconnect the quick-feed driving mechanism from the cam and to connect the other driving mechanism thereto,A and means to hold said power device inoperative until the feed cam is in a predetermined position.

ln testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN KEVVICZ.

Gopies o' this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi Patents, Washington, D. C. 

